Published 4 July 2021 at 11:29
Law & Justice. As a 15-year-old, Samir Sabri was wrongly convicted of the murder of his stepmother and was locked up in a psychiatric hospital. 30 years later, he was raised and freed from all suspicion. The Court of Appeal has now awarded him damages of SEK 1.2 million.
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In May 1986, Samir Sabri's stepmother was murdered in their home and Sabri – who was then 15 years old and witnessed the murder herself – took responsibility under threat and coercion from a close relative.
< Samir Sabri was then convicted of the murder despite the lack of an investigation confirming his confession. About 30 years later, he applied for redress of the murder sentence and was then acquitted of all suspicions.
People who have been wrongfully detained are normally entitled to compensation from the state. However, when Samir Sabri requested compensation from the Chancellor of Justice, he was refused compensation on the grounds that his claim had become statute-barred, as the incident dates back more than ten years. With the help of the Center for Justice, Sabri sued the state and demanded compensation for the time he was wrongfully detained.
In a judgment in June 2020, the Stockholm District Court concluded that Samir Sabri's claim for compensation had not become statute-barred. But the district court still chose to reject his request for compensation. According to the district court, Samir Sabri himself had caused the deprivation of liberty by voluntarily taking responsibility.
But the Svea Court of Appeal has now changed the district court's ruling and awarded Samir Sabri damages of SEK 1.2 million. Unlike the district court, the Court of Appeal considers that it should be taken into account that Samir Sabri was only 15 years old when the recognition was given and that it took place under threat.